There have been 19 497 reported cases of Ebola virus disease, with 7588 reported deaths.

Reported case incidence is fluctuating in Guinea and decreasing in Liberia.

There are signs that the increase in incidence has slowed in Sierra Leone, although the country’s west is now experiencing the most intense transmission in the affected countries. Response efforts have been strengthened to curb the spread of disease in the area.

World cereal production in 2014 is forecast to surpass last year’s record, boosting stocks to a 15-year high.

Maize export prices increased significantly in November supported by lower than previously expected yields of the 2014 crop in the United States of America. Wheat export prices strengthened in general, while rice quotations declined. Overall, however, cereal export prices persisted at levels below those of a year earlier, reflecting ample global supplies.

Philippines: Category 5 Typhoon Hagupit, locally known as Ruby, made landfall on 6 December over the town of Dolores in Eastern Samar province (Eastern Philippines). At least 49 of 81 provinces are potentially at high risk. The typhoon is moving very slowly, potentially subjecting each community in the path of the typhoon to high winds and torrential rainfall for much longer. 1.1 million people are affected.

Niger: 10,000 refugees arrived in Diffa region from Damasack, Nigeria. Most were fleeing forced recruitment by Boko Haram, and some unaccompanied children were reported. More than 105,000 people have arrived from Nigeria since May 2013, and the rate is increasing. The newly displaced are in a critical situation, and Diffa faces serious gaps in service provision.

30 November 2014, Rome - Thirteen countries today won recognition from FAO for outstanding progress in fighting hunger, an achievement which includes reaching international targets ahead of the end-of-2015 deadline.

In response to the outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) in South Sudan, over 19,000 children were vaccinated last week in Bentiu Poc, where the two cases were reported. Outbreak response plans are in place to hold three rounds of supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in high risk areas to stop transmission of the virus.

Pakistan: Drought conditions in Sindh have affected nearly 1.7 million people; nearly 500 have died in Tharparkar, including 296 children. In FATA, the number of people displaced by the military’s operation Khyber One in the Tirah Valley has grown to 440,000 people, adding to 993,000 displaced by operations in North Waziristan.

Liberia: Two million children are thought to be affected by the consequences of the Ebola epidemic. High levels of unemployment are affecting income: 70% of households in a recent survey said they do not have enough money to afford food.

Ethiopia: Waters have begun to recede from Leitchuor refugee camp in Gambella, but few refugees have returned to the camps so far, where alarming rates of severe malnutrition persist: 5.7% in Leitchuor, 7.8% in Kule, and 10% in Tierkidi. In SNNPR, flooding was reported, while in Oromia, water trucking has begun for populations affected by drought.

In Madagascar, a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) has been confirmed. The virus was isolated from one case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with onset of paralysis on 29 September, and from three healthy contacts. An estimated more than 25% of children remain under-immunized against polio in the country. Madagascar was previously affected by a cVDPV2 outbreak in 2001/2002 (resulting in five cases) and in 2005 (resulting in three cases). Emergency outbreak response is being finalized, with campaigns to be held in December and January.

Central African Republic: About 20,000 displaced people are seeking refuge in isolated rural areas in Ouham province following the arrival of armed groups in Boguila, Kouki and Nana Bakassa on 25 October. Nearly 1,000 people have been displaced since July in Bambari following violence in Batobadja and Matchika, and 4,000 have been displaced since January to Berberati town in Mambere province.

Yemen: As a government was agreed by Houthi and other opposition parties, the Southern Movement announced a merger to represent all southerners in the campaign for independence. Houthi insurgents attacked the Sunni opposition Al Islah party headquarters in Ibb, while Al Qaeda killed 18 Yemeni troops during an attack in Hudaydah.

Central African Republic: In Ouaka prefecture, fighting among rival militias persists. Attacks on a number locations, including Bambari, have left dozens of people dead, and civilians have been executed. 3,000 people remain displaced from Bangui after violence began in the middle of the month.